Montres Journe Introduces Solid Gold Dials on 3 New F.P. Journe Watches


F.P. Journe Octa LuneFrancois-Paul Journe, the founder and namesake of the F.P. Journe watch brand, had long dreamed of making watches — not just cases — out of gold. In 2004 his watch company, Montres Journe, became the first to produce entire movements in 18k rose gold, and this year, Journe has added yet another component: gold dials for three of his brand’s watch models.

The new dials — which make their debut on new versions of the F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain, Octa Automatique Reserve and Octa Automatique Lune — are made from 18k gold and feature embossed, mirrored numbers integrated into them. The base of each dial is sanded to perfection before a layer of silver is applied in Journe’s own special process. The numbers are surfaced and given their mirror-polish by means of a diamond tool. The print transfer of the time indications and F.P. Journe logo is the final step in making the dials, with up to five successive layers of finishing for a perfect “bombé” shape. Each dial also includes the recognizable F.P. Journe “drop-shaped” hands.

The F.P. Journe Chronomètre Souverain is powered by Journe’s Caliber 1304, a manual-wound movement made of rose gold that measures 30.4 mm in diameter and has a power reserve of approximately 56 hours stored in two parallel mainspring barrels. The movement’s decorations include a partly circular-grained baseplate and polished screw heads with chamfered slots. The case of the Chronomètre Souverain, available in 18k rose gold or platinum, measures 40 mm in diameter and 8.6 mm thick. (Customers can also request a version with a slightly smaller, 38-mm case.) The new gold dial has a central hours and minutes display, small seconds on subdial at 7:30, and a power-reserve indicator at 3 o’clock. The hands are gold on the rose gold model and steel in the platinum version. Prices for the watch are as follows: $31,150 for the 40-mm rose gold model; $30,580 for 38-mm rose gold; $37,590 for 40-mm platinum; and $36,440 for 38-mm platinum.

F.P. Journe Chronometre Souverain - rose gold
F.P. Journe Chronometre Souverain, in rose gold (above) and platinum (below)

F.P. Journe Chronometre Souverain - platinumThe other two new watches with gold dials are from F.P. Journe’s Octa collection, both containing the automatic Caliber 1300.3, with a diameter of 30.8 mm, a frequency of 21,600 vph, and a power reserve of around 120 hours. The movement has a 15-tooth escapement and an off-center winding rotor. Its bridges have a circular côtes de Genève pattern and its baseplate is partially circular grained. The few steel components in the otherwise solid-gold movement are hand-polished and chamfered, and the wheels are chamfered and circular grained. Both Octa watches have 40-mm cases, in platinum or rose gold, and three-position crowns for winding the watch, setting the time and date, and — in the Octa Lune — setting and correcting the moon-phase indication.

The F.P. Journe Octa Reserve dial features central hours and minutes, small seconds at 4:30, large date window at 11:30, and its signature complication, a power-reserve indicator, at 9 o’clock. As with the Chronometre Souverain, each of these Octa watches is also available in a 38-mm case. Prices for the Octa Reserve: $38,280 for 40-mm rose gold; $37,470 for 38-mm rose gold; $45,860 for 40-mm platinum; and $44,140 for 38-mm platinum.

F.P. Journe Octa Reserve - rose gold
F.P. Journe Octa Reserve in rose gold (above) and platinum (below)

F.P. Journe Octa Reserve - platinumThe F.P. Journe Octa Lune (whose movement has 291 parts to the Octa Reserve’s 277, due to the addition of the moon-phase complication) has its small seconds subdial near 6 o’clock, next to the moon-phase display at 7 o’clock. As on the Octa Reserve, the large date appears on the gold dial at 11:30 and the power-reserve display at 9 o’clock. Prices for the Octa Lune: $45,570 for 40-mm rose gold; $45,060 for 38-mm rose gold; $53,330 for 40-mm platinum; and $51,610 for 38-mm platinum. The watches will be available at all 10 F.P. Journe boutiques worldwide.

F.P. Journe Octa Lune - rose gold
F.P. Journe Octa Lune, in rose gold (above) and platinum (below)

F.P. Journe Octa Lune - platinum

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  1. Vijayakumar Ramasamy

    beautiful. I love this watch. one day I will buy.

    Reply
  2. I love what FPJ is doing,both design and technicality.one of my favourite brands no doubt,same level as PP.The market is uncertain about the long term of the company,FP being independent..and mortal; however I am sure that the problem will be overcomed by integration in a big group or otherwise.Some of today’s pieces will probably fetch some interesting prices in years to come.

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    • @alex, I don’t see him selling into a larger brand unless he’s in a dire financial position and even then, he has a following from some of the richest men in the world and would be able to raise capital. So long as FPJ is alive, his watches will be valuable and in just a few years he’ll be known as one of if not he greatest WMs of the current era.

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